


The Bowtie

by notabadday



Category: The West Wing, West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-17
Updated: 2012-11-17
Packaged: 2017-11-18 21:34:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/565535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notabadday/pseuds/notabadday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I wrote this after thinking far too much of all the times Donna ties Josh's bowtie. It occurred to me that it would have been interesting to revisit in season 7, between The Al Smith Dinner (Donna's re-hiring) and the kiss. So this is a scene between Josh and Donna shortly after she is hired for the Santos campaign, as they prepare to go out to a fancy dinner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bowtie

**Author's Note:**

  * For [spinninginfinity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spinninginfinity/gifts).



Josh stood in his office, irritably pulling at his bowtie. He hated the damn thing. Fifteen minutes now he’d been trying to get it to look a little less undone Tony Bennett, but as his impatience grew, so too did any chance that that was going to happen. Eventually, he pulled it from beneath his collar and slammed it down on the desk.

 Lou came in talking. “Josh, are you ready to go? The cars are pulling up now.”

 “Can’t get my damn…” Josh gestured to the tie, lying unloved beside him.

 Lou unsympathetically rolled her eyes. “Figure it out.”

 Josh was a little wounded by her coldness, but was comfortably used to it. He considered his options for a moment before asking her, “Will you get me Donna, please?”

She nodded and left. Moments later, a cheerful Donna appeared in his doorway. She was wearing a simple red silk gown. It clung delicately to her curves as her hair provided a distraction of its own, waves hanging softly around her face. Donna was posing in the doorframe, confident and self-aware. She was smiling at him expectantly, watching him fiddle with the bowtie once more with unconvincing resolve.

 “Need a hand?” She knew straight away why she’d been sent for.

 “Thanks.”

 Before he’d even replied, she was moving across the room to him. Her hands took hold of the tie, deftly crossing it over to form a bow. He watched her face fixedly, his eyes skimming the contours of her skin. Occasionally she would sneak him a glance, but they were careful never to let their eyes meet.

 “May I just say, you look… beautiful tonight, Donna.”

 She grinned at him, her hands still perfecting his bowtie.

 “What?”

 “What?”

 “What’s that look for?” Josh said part-amused, part-impatient.

 “What look?”

 “You know the look. That look. The grin.”

 “I’m just smiling, Josh,” she said, shrugging.

 “I don’t trust that look.”

 “You should be less suspicious.” Donna smiled, a little less teasingly. She was looking warmly at him, without the intention of winding him up. “I was flattered. It’s been quite some time since you said anything that… sweet to me.”

 “I think it’s been quite some time since I’ve said anything sweet to anyone.”

 “Look, I know you didn’t really want me to have this job but…”

 “I was wrong,” he admitted before his face broke to a warm smile. It was his white flag, and her expression moved to mirror his.

 “Thank you.”

 Josh nodded very slightly and then noticed his perfectly placed bowtie was all ready. “Thank _you_.”

Josh moved his elbow from his side, gesturing for her to hook her hand through his arm. She was surprised, but didn’t appear so. Donna took it and let him lead her to the awaiting car.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is most welcome and encouraged.


End file.
